User: #DC143C

[lonered]

(User: #DC143C)

Hey... everyone. It's Keith.

So a couple things. I guess.

First. Someone brought it up already I think. A while back, but people are going missing. I know it's happened at least a couple times. Not anyone I ever really met, but one guy I was assigned to as a sparring partner, but I couldn't find him. It really seems like he's gone. Even his code has been struck from the network. Which seems pretty deliberate.

Is there anyone else?

If people are disappearing, or wandering off and getting hurt or... worse... I guess most people probably have friends to look out after them. Maybe not everyone though.

But even so, if people are disappearing and none of us know how or why. I think that's something we should probably at least think about and what it means for the rest of us.


Second. So I guess it's a little easier now that there are some colors to help remember, but the whole username code thing is confusing in keeping track of who is who. At least it is for me.

If it were voluntary, what do people think about putting together some sort of directory? Something we could keep updated and search by name and/or code.

It might help us keep track of people too.

And... If people do think it's worth pursuing, I'd be really grateful if anyone better at computers than me wants to help making it user friendly.

EDIT: And apparently some people are turning into statues. Which sounds horrifying. Anyone have info on this? Do we know how to reverse it?

Comments

[lonered]

But there's still someone doing it, no matter what the mechanism. And whoever that is, they're the one that has to be behind this.

[whereabout]

Right. But it's possible they're not here to respond, or even aware of us trying to open contact. Everything they're telling us might just be some kind of autopilot.

If so, that would raise a whole new set of questions, but I think it's possible there's something other than malice keeping them from responding to us.

[lonered]

But these quests are accompanied by things happening. And by "rewards" so someone has to be paying attention. Someone or something has to be actively a part of this.

Anything is possible with motive, but it feels pretty malicious, has from day one.

[whereabout]

We had these so-called artifacts, back home. They did seemingly impossible things, they could be triggered by human desire...all of that without being sentient, they were just objects. So I don't think that things happening is a guarantee that whoever set this up is watching.

[lonered]

Look, like I said. Anything is possible.

But I'm going to err on the side of believing someone set this up for a reason, and we're definitely being watched. Probably most closely on the network.

They gave us laptops. With our names on them. There is a lot of intent and detail to just shrug off as "maybe it's some automated thing." Everything I've seen leads me to believe there's someone behind this, someone very much still involved. If more evidence comes up that leads in another direction, fine. All any of us have right now are guesses and theories, myself included. And either way we need to figure out the truth if we're ever going to get home.

[whereabout]

I was more making the point that, at least where some of come from, things do exist that could produce that level of detail and intent without a person's direct supervision.

I'm not committing myself to any particular explanation yet.

[lonered]

Okay.

So point made. All just more of the fact that we have barely any answers yet. Only questions. And more questions seem to pile up everyday.

[whereabout]

Indeed.

While I'm not really enthused about fulfilling their tasks when we don't know anything about the source or the motive, I think that's probably the best trail we have right now to try and follow back to whatever's behind the curtain.

[lonered]

I'm not thrilled about dancing to their tune either. But you're right in that their "rewards" might give us some clue or another about... something. Anything.

[whereabout]

None of what they've asked so far has been too objectionable, at least. But that could change.

[ I mean, wolf teeth is a little weird, but wolves are not sentient so ehhh. ]

[lonered]

So far, yeah. It still feels like they're testing how far we'll go.

Starting with spring cleaning seems sort of like an introduction. This time they're harder, more dangerous.

[whereabout]

Not really morally objectionable, though.

[ Well, maybe some people find the hunting quests unsavory, but between living one end of his childhood in the sticks of Erebonia, and the other in the sticks of Liberl, Joshua's got the kind of pragmatism about killing wildlife that comes from living around farms. Sometimes, you just need to get rid of the pests or predators, and the circle of life continues. ]

I wonder if that's coming further down the line?

[lonered]

Depends on your morals. But fair enough. Hopefully it stays that way.

[Keith is hardly a vegetarian, so hunting didn't bother him. The whole not sure how sentient their quarry was presented a bit of a catch at first, but it turns out not sentient so. Less of a conflict.]

I think the only way to find out is to wait and see.